Queen's Park manager Sean Crighton has detailed the club's commitment to developing young Scottish talent as its core identity. The Spiders are preparing to host Ayr United in a Scottish Championship match that will be broadcast on BBC Scotland TV this Friday.

Crighton pointed to the club's modern training facilities as a key asset in this mission. "One thing we've got here is a great training centre," the manager said. The Lochinch training ground in Glasgow's Pollok Park has been transformed with support from Lord William Haughey's City Charitable Trust, though Haughey's direct financial agreement with the club ended last year.

A proven pathway

Producing players for the national team is part of the club's historic fabric. "We need to be that club because that's Queen's Park's history," Crighton said. He cited the early careers of Scotland stars Andy Robertson and Lawrence Shankland as examples of the pathway.

This season, the model continues with young players progressing into the first-team picture. Ross McLean came into the side a couple of times last year and has developed well this season, while Tyrece McDonnell made 26 appearances last term. The club also has co-operation loan deals with Rangers for Aiden McCallion and Lewis Stewart.

Recent successes at youth level underline the system's strength. Queen's Park's under-17 and under-19 sides both won their respective leagues last season. The first team also had a positive League Cup group campaign earlier this term.

The immediate challenge

Despite the long-term vision, the immediate challenge in the Championship is stark. Queen's Park currently find themselves second bottom of the table, one place and one point behind this Friday's opponents, Ayr United. Ayr United sit sixth in the Championship on eight points after seven games.

The two sides met just last week, with Ayr United securing a 2-0 victory at Queen's Park's ground. D. Watret opened the scoring in the 35th minute before J. Landers added a second just after the hour mark. You can review the full details of that match and the club's upcoming fixtures.

That result extended a difficult recent run for Queen's Park, whose form over the last five matches reads one win, one draw and three losses. They have scored seven goals and conceded eight so far this season. The task does not get easier after the Ayr game, as Queen's Park's next fixture is at home to league leaders Stenhousemuir on September 25.

Crighton, who took charge after the club finished sixth last season, is balancing the development of players like 29-year-old Scott Martin with the urgent need for results. The departures of Josh Fowler to St Johnstone, Seb Drozd to Partick Thistle and Henry Fieldson to St Mirren in recent times have tested the squad's depth. The manager's focus remains on ensuring the club maintains its Championship status while staying true to its founding principles.

First reported at bbc.co.uk